Jack couldn't help it, something in him wanted to see her...just to be near her again. He knew she wouldn't mind him stopping by at 2 a.m...he'd done it before, granted it had been because she was needed at the base...but this was important too...
He rang the bell and waited. He was about to walk away, thinking she was asleep and he shouldn't try to wake her.
But the door opened and he held his 'surprise' behind his back as she peered around the door at him.
"Hi." It was all he could say. There might have been a more eloquent way of greeting her at this hour, but it escaped him.
"Jack—I mean...Sir--is everything alright?" She asked stepping into the doorway revealing by the attire, pajamas, that he had woken her.
"You had it right the first time." He said looking down at her pajamas. "Did I wake you up?"
"Not really, I'm sorry come in." she said opening the door fully and walking into the living room where he sat on the couch and she sat on the arm of the couch adjacent from him.
"I was just driving around and I uhm..." He said leaning back into the couch.
She smiled at him. Leave it to Jack O'Neill to steal her line famous excuse for dropping by unexpectedly.
"And you wound up here?" She questioned, continuing the little game of avoiding the 'elephant in the room'.
"Yeah..." He said looking over at her, his expression softening into a slight smile.
She just looked right back at him...they were aloud to do this now...
"Do you want some coffee?" She asked jumping from the couch and disappearing into the kitchen.
The realization of what happened with Pete had hit her and she didn't know how to tell Jack...should she even tell him? It didn't matter after all...she didn't want to marry Pete, she wanted Jack—right?
She began to clang around the kitchen—forgetting the ring box still sat on the counter behind her—as Jack walked up behind her.
He had rolled up the papers he carried in and stuffed them into the back pocket of his jeans.
He moved around her, pulling down the coffee grounds and filters from the cabinet as he turned around to hand them to her, only to run right into her—they froze on contact.
She was holding the coffee pot over the sink and he had the coffee and filters by his side...She could only stare into his chest...she didn't dare look up to meet his eyes that she could feel on her.
He lowered his head until her hair tickled his nose...the warmth of her skin now seeping through his t-shirt.
He closed his eyes as he took in the scent of her hair...it was intoxicating...
She wavered slightly and let her forehead rest against Jack's lips.
He paused a moment and began to trace her hair line to her temple with his lips and to down her cheek...then their lips met again...within seconds the coffee, filters and coffee pot had been forgotten and were dropped to the floor.
She was in his arms before she could take a breath and it seemed Jack just couldn't pull her close enough.
It was only a moment that they lost control, Jack forgetting his self entirely and letting his hands—and lips-- roam over her body freely—without the slightest restriction.
He pulled back from her slowly and pulled himself together.
"I'm sorry—"He said, once again resting his forehead against hers.
"Don't be." She said trying to catch her breath. There wasn't one shred of doubt in her now...she knew what she wanted.
He took a few steps from her and picked up the coffee and filters from the floor.
She looked over at him and couldn't help but smile at the Jack O'Neill she now found herself with—a more off balanced version—she liked it. Over his head, she spotted the ring on the counter—still open. She had gone to bed not wanting to even look at it.
She was about to grab it and stuff it in a drawer when Jack stood and saw what she was reaching for.
As she held it in her hand he looked down at her hands and stared.
"That's not for me is it?" He said, his tone turning cold.
"...Pete..." it was all she could say, it was all she had to say.
"I see." He said putting the coffee and filters on the counter and stepping back from her.
"Jack-"
"You were with him first—"He said, obviously trying to put aside the gut wrenching pain in his side.
"I was with you first." She said turning to him. "This means nothing." She said putting the ring back on the counter. "I told him I couldn't see him anymore...he left the ring before leaving."
"Sam--"He said trying to fight pass the anger and hurt in his voice. "This is why I came..." he said pulling the papers out of his back pocket and handing them to her.
She took the crinkled papers in her hands and un rolled them. She read the first few lines and looked up at him—shocked.
"Your resignation papers?" She asked just above a whisper.
"You have to decide Sam." He said walking out of the kitchen and towards the door.
She was on his heels in a second.
"Jack! Wait—"She pleaded as she turned him around by his arm.
"What ever you decide...when ever you decide...either give me the papers to be signed or tear them up..." He said touching her cheek once more before disappearing out the door.
Carter stood in the foyer dumbfounded...part of her was screaming to run after him...to say whatever it took to make him stay...but there was another part of her...one that she underestimated that had suddenly possessed a very strong voice...telling her to let him go...